Meditating on the Balcony

Until a few decades ago, one of the most obvious differences between the architecture of northern Europe and that of the Mediterranean countries consisted of their very different relationships toward the natural environment. In the southern countries, for example, the intense summer heat created a n e e d for g r e a t e r protection, but a t the s a m e time fostered a greater extroversion of the inhabited spaces. In the Nordic contexts, on the contrary, the harsh winter climate necessarily limited openings t o a g r e a t e x t e n t In this particular aspect of mediation between indoors and outdoors, the balcony has traditionally been considered one of the primary examples of the relationship. It provided a privileged opening toward the outdoors, a dimension of transition between built space and the natural environment which had the advantage of also being usable as a small garden plot. The balcony was the ideal place to grow plants, which might be ornamental but could also provide fresh herbs for cooking, and even a few fruits and vegetables.